The tilt of a bicycle saddle is crucial to the comfort and efficiency of a rider. If the front of a saddle is set too high relative to the rear of the saddle, for example, a pinched nerve in the crotch of the rider can result. On the other hand, if the front of a saddle is placed too low relative to its rear, a rider may slide forward and have difficulty retaining his body over the peddles for steady power delivery. Thus, a substantially horizontal saddle orientation is preferred by most bicycle riders.
Many bicycle saddles are provided with front and rear springs to absorb road shocks during use. Unfortunately, these springs tend to cause the front and rear ends of the shock absorbing saddles to oscillate up and down. The outcome of these oscillations is often both pinched nerves and reduced peddling efficiency for a rider.